By John Alechenu
ABUJA—Supporters of the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, in the 2023 election, Mr. Peter Obi, are expressing concern over the party’s leadership tussle and growing uncertainty over whether the coalition of opposition parties will field him as a candidate.
One of the founding leaders of the Obidient Movement, the umbrella body of all support groups associated with Peter Obi’s quest for the presidency, Dr. Katch Ononuju, told Vanguard in Abuja yesterday that the ex-Anambra State governor was the “only hope” if President Bola Tinubu’s rule must end in 2027.
He dismissed speculations linking Obi to talks on a possible run as vice president.
Ononuju said: “If Peter Obi makes the mistake to run as Vice Presidential candidate in Nigeria’s 2027 election, our movement will be demoralised and many won’t back him.
“In the unlikely event that such a ticket wins, Obi, who contested as the Labour Party Presidential flag bearer in the 2023 election, will be degraded as other Vice Presidents.
“In fact, he is likely to suffer a worse fate because no Nigerian Vice President has ever survived or excelled in the treacherous position of the Vice Presidency since the inception of Nigeria’s democracy. The position of VP in Nigeria is a political abattoir.”
The chances of the Labour Party and Mr. Peter Obi winning the 2027 presidential election are uncertain and depend on various factors.
Some of the factors include: a possible alliance with other aspirants such as Atiku Abubakar who recently dumped the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, a chieftain of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP.
Since his 2023 electoral defeat, Obi has been reaching out to voters in Nigeria’s core northern states as well as traditional and religious leaders through outreaches and interventions in the area of water supply and institutional support as well as charitable works to broaden his support base. However, the leadership crisis which has bedeviled the party leading up to litigations which culminated in the Supreme Court judgement of April 4th, 2025, is still causing ripples.
The party has lost a substantial number of members in the National and some State Houses of Assembly as a result of the dispute.
Barely two weeks ago, the Senator representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ireti Kingibe, announced her decision to leave the LP to join the African Democratic Congress (ADC), the party adopted by the coalition for the 2027 electoral contest.
Obi will have to deal with the competition coming from former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar and former Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi, for the coalition’s endorsement before facing the bigger challenge from the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, which is fielding incumbent President Bola Tinubu, and whoever the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, will field.
As preparations for the 2027 elections gathers steam, the outcome cannot be predicted with accuracy because a lot will depend on various factors including alliances, campaign strategies, and voter sentiment. End.
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